The Legend of Korra : What Happened in Between
by mythos43213
Summary: Just like the title says, it's what happened between "Chocolate and Pretzels" and "Earthquake".


A Legend of Korra Snapfic

What Happened In Between

By

Joshua Trujillo

Bolin sighed as he turned around and leaned against the bar. He wished he'd remembered his scarf, as the weather had taken a turn for the chilly. He set his right foot up on the rail and just shook his head at his "assignment". It was hopeless, really. Here he was, a hero of the Equalist War, sent on a mission to try to convince another hero not to crawl into a bottle. Sure, sounded more noble when Asami said it. Tenzin volunteered, but his wife Pema overruled his decision. Bolin hadn't understood why, other than he knew that the Chief could be a little hardheaded. But she was Earthbender! And a Bei Fong! Of _course_ she was going to be hardheaded.

"No one's asking you to stay, kid," Lin growled from above her drink.

"Yeah, actually Chief, someone has."

She wasn't wearing her armor. It was a fact not lost on the underworld of Republic City, though armor or no, not one of them would cross her. She wore a heavier Bei Fong green tunic embroidered with the Flying Boar over what appeared to be black silk pants. Bolin wondered for half an instant if she always styled her hair or if it naturally stayed where it was out of fear.

"I know I didn't ask you," Lin tossed back her drink and nodded to the bartender for another. "And since I didn't ask you, then it doesn't matter what someone else asked, now does it?"

"Asami is looking out for the best interests of Republic City in sending me here, you know?"

Lin looked at him as the bartender poured her another two fingers. Bolin noticed a wry grin. Or perhaps, even a rye one.

"Did _Miss_ Sato also tell you to memorize that line?"

Bolin pursed his lips, but broke down as Lin chuckled into her drink.

"Come on, Chief, work with me here-"

He started as Lin bolted from her seat, grabbed two handfuls of his tunic and slammed him against the nearby wall. The much taller woman leaned into the shorter Earthbender and scowled at him with what Bolin thought was much too firm and steady a gaze for as much alcohol as the Chief had been putting away. Maybe that was why she was Chief? Bolin gulped. A look crossed her face as the scowl dropped. She loosened her grip and smoothed out the front of his tunic. Lin rummaged around in a pocket and threw some money on the bar top.

"Chief?" Bolin called after her, which got him a dismissing wave as she stumbled toward the door.

Bolin looked back to the bartender, who just shrugged as he wiped out another glass. Bolin blew out another sigh and rushed out the door. The streets outside were quiet at this time of night. Early enough for trouble, late enough for _bad_ trouble. He remembered these kinds of night from his Triad days. But…no Lin Bei Fong. He was about to start down the street toward her brownstone when sounds of fighting came to his ears from a nearby alley.

A body flew out the alley and Bolin stopped in shock. The thug wore Equalist gear, goggles included! Bolin stamped down hard and twisted his hands over. The earth folded neatly over the miscreant, trapping him in a spring roll of concrete. One down. He turned into the alley. Lin had metalbent two trash can lids into a pair of gauntlets as she fought back three Chiblockers. Bolin smirked. The woman had definite skills! He clapped his hands as he stomped into another bend. The walk slammed upwards diagonally, taking out the two uglies on the other end of the Chief. Normally, he would release the energy and keep going, but that would mean letting them go. A spark of an idea hit him. Bolin shuffled the energy into the brick walls, formed two huge hands and folded them around the Equalists, trapping them!

Lin held her own, but the drink snapped at her senses, making them sluggish. The problem with the damned Chiblockers is that they were so fast! She brought her arm down and blocked another hand. The Equalist yelped as that hand met Lin's gauntlet and Lin smiled at the crack that issued around the alley. She spared a look for the kid Asami had sent and instantly regretted the lapse as the third blocker snuck in a hit in her side. Pain shot through her lungs as she dropped to a knee. She pounded the alley and blew one attacker onto the neighboring roof, four stories over, but Lin knew the two other blockers had closed the distance. She waited for the blow to her unprotected head, but it never came.

Lin looked up. The kid, panting and sweating with effort, had corralled the two other blockers from behind. They never saw it coming. He smiled brilliantly as he got under her good side and pulled Lin to her feet.

"Chief-"

"No," Lin wheezed. "Please don't call me that. I don't deserve…"

"But you _are_ Chief of Republic City, ma'am," Bolin continued as they walked out of the alley. Lights in the distance said that her troops were on the way to collect the rubbish. "I mean, Saikan already stepped down and you're back in. It's why Asami sent me to find you."

"I know," Lin said.

They walked on in the darkening night and Lin pushed Bolin slightly. She held herself upright with the wall, which was still wavering back and forth in her mind. She'd have to ask council not to build such flimsy structures…city ordinance or something…

"It's just that I failed, Bolin," Lin stammered, shocked at the sob in her own voice. "I couldn't save Tenzin and the children. I couldn't stop the Equalists in my own city-"

Bolin set a hand on her shoulder, "You can't take responsibility for-"

Bolin yelped as she hauled him against the wall, the tears no longer hidden in her hauntingly brilliant green eyes.

"My _own __**damned**_ city!" she shouted at him.

Lin lowered her head and allowed herself two sobbing breaths before she tried to bring herself back under control. She felt Bolin's hand on her shoulder and she allowed herself to look up at him. He had a gentle smile on his face, full of youth and yet, who among them was young after the War?

"You saved Korra," he said, simply. "You allowed her and the rest of us to escape to fight on. We haven't forgotten that and we aren't gonna let anyone else forget that."

Lin Bei Fong had fought many enemies in her time, many bad guys that sometimes saw the error of their ways. It was the good guys she had problems with.

"Hell with it."

Bolin mumbled a protest as Lin planted a heady kiss on his lips. The shock jarred his senses, but then his lips said that 'Hey, she's a pretty good kisser!'. As she softened against him, the rest of him began to answer as well. Okay, so maybe she was an older woman, but that hadn't bothered him. Working with the Triad, you got to learn a few things and Bolin wasn't exactly inexperienced, but Lin felt so good against him and under his hands. She wrapped her arms around his head as she continued to kiss him. They broke and Bolin thought the alcohol had made him a little tipsy as well. Lin's green eyes hunted his face. She pecked a kiss at him again. She then pulled him out to arm's length and looked down the street. The Golden Dragon Inn sat nearby. Lin turned her steamy gaze back to Bolin, who gulped. A smirk slowly spread across her lips. She reached down and gathered his hand, turned and marched him toward the Inn.

_Well_, Bolin thought. _That's one way to get her to stop drinking…_


End file.
